Controlled- Release Technology Pharmaceutical Applications
T
his new book highlights controlled release technology—a rapidly emerging interdisciplinary science that offers novel approaches to the delivery of tractive agents including pharmaceutical, agricultural, and veterinary compounds. The 25 chapters included in this volume will familiarize you with the broad scope of controlled release technology. You'll find discussions on topics ranging from hydrophilic polymers, hydrogels, microspheres, and biodegradable polymers... to transdermal and transmucosal delivery systems... to rate control by means of geometric configuration and disposable controlled-release devices. In addition, you'll benefit from the models included for diffusion in polymers and percutaneous absorption. The editors have divided this book into six general subject areas: • • • • • •
Fundamental Aspects Characterization Methodologies Hydrophilic Polymers and Hydrogels Microspheres and Biodegradable Polymers Transdermal and Transmucosal Delivery Systems Other Applications
Controlled-Release Technology'will be of great value to chemists and chemical engineers interested in the application of controlled-release technology to pharmaceutical areas, as well as pharmaceutical scientists interested in the physical and chemical basis of controlled release systems. Ping I. Lee and William R. Good, Editors, Ciba-Geigy Corporation Developed from a symposium sponsored by the Division of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry of the American Chemical Society ACS Symposium Series N o . 3 4 8 3 7 6 pages ( 1 9 8 7 ) Clothbound ISBN 0 - 8 4 1 2 - 1 4 1 3 - 1 LC 8 7 - 1 7 4 4 7 US & Canada $ 6 9 . 9 5 Export $ 8 3 . 9 5 Order from: American Chemical Society Distribution Office Dept. 66 1155 Sixteenth St., N.W. Washington, DC 20036 or CALL TOLL FREE
800-227-5558 and use your credit card! 20
October 12, 1987 C&EN
EDUCATION
Assessment of precollege science training probed A study aimed at identifying suitable indicators for the performance of precollege mathematics and science training in the U.S. has been completed by Rand Corp. Supported by the National Science Foundation, the study offers several options to NSF for collecting performance data on the school systems of the country. Growing concern over declining scientific literacy and the future availability of scientific manpower in the U.S. has led to intense scrutiny of U.S. educational systems. Despite some pervasive federal regulations, most funding for precollege education originates in the states, which are usually divided into numerous, autonomous educational districts. These are of highly variable character and quality. Therein lies a problem in the collection of data with which to monitor precollege educational performance and trends. Few indicators of performance are nationally applicable. One is the Student Aptitude Test (SAT) score. Over the past two decades, SAT scores in mathematics and science have been slowly and steadily declining. This decline and other signals have produced sufficient alarm among policy makers to prompt the call for remedies. The agency charged with collecting data on mathematics and science education is NSF. The paucity of reliable data further prompted the study by Rand, which has just released its report. The first result was documenting the suspicion that there is no comprehensive indicator system to measure the status of science and mathematics education in the U.S. What data are available are insufficient to identify the source of problems and to suggest solutions. The Rand report identifies several options for developing the indicators necessary for m e a s u r i n g the condition of mathematics and science education. Five options are suggested in the report. The first is the status quo option, which is equivalent to doing nothing. This option would make do with currently available data, which are collected ad hoc and far from systematic in either collection or interpretation.
A patchwork option would use mostly existing data but analyze them consistently and within a "conceptually sound" model of schooling. A cyclical studies option would concentrate effort on a different set of data in each collection cycle. They would be repeated periodically. The advantage is claimed to be economy in use of resources and would complement whatever indicator selection NSF eventually makes. With a piggyback option, NSF would utilize existing data and simultaneously buy into ongoing independent data collection programs. A fifth, independent option would permit NSF to develop and operate its own dedicated data collection program. Costs for the five options vary from $40,000 for the status quo option to as much as $34 million for the independent system. Some of the indicators that are suggested in the Rand report deal with such things as school quality, teacher effectiveness, and resource allocation. These data are not easy to value numerically and there has been significant debate about whether they would have objective value of any kind. This may be why the report strongly suggests the development of a consistent model of schooling. Any indicators that are eventually specified would presume a model of some sort. In a sense the indicators are model specific. . In assessing the five options, Rand notes that none is clearly superior to another. Selection would be based on NSF preference. The report does suggest that the piggyback and independent options may be the best of the five, but they also are the most expensive. The report concludes that NSF should develop an indicator system, and should provide indicator information on national and state levels every two years. The patchwork option is considered the most likely to succeed quickly and is recommended to be in place within five years. A key recommendation is that NSF should work to get other agencies with ancillary interests to assist in the collection of data. Where key indicator data are not available from any source, such data should be de-
veloped independently. Similarly, NSF should develop specific procedures for analysis and reporting of indicator data in a timely manner. In the highly institutionalized public education in the U.S., there is a tendency to depersonalize the process of instruction. On the other hand, there is no doubt that scientific literacy is inadequate, the prospects for improving the U.S. competitive position in international science and technology are not good, and that the schools are the means that must be used to set matters right.
One of the problems that the report recognizes is the increasing burden on teachers, school districts, and states for reporting to higher authority. Recently, in several states, the appending of outcomes-based education programs to existing state reporting requirements produced a negative reaction because of the added burden of data collection, formatting, and reporting. This was added to the normal duties of the school staffs. In the end, the biggest problem may be humanizing the system for both students and teachers. Joseph Haggin, Chicago
TECHNOLOGY
Low-cost FUR spectrophotometer introduced A Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometer that scans a range from 7800 to 350 cm"1 with a resolution of 4 cm"1 has been introduced by Perkin-Elmer Corp. at a price of only $16,500. The firm supplies an instrument with optics for 2-cm"1 resolution and a more sensitive deuterated triglycine sulfate (DTGS) detector for $18,000. Or customers can buy these options separately in a later upgrade for about $2500. The company expects this 1600 series to make advantages of FTIR affordable to teaching and quality control laboratories. For these labs, the low space requirements—32 inches wide and 24 inches deep— also are an advantage. The 1600 spectrophotometer features multitasking to save time. With the 4-cm"1 model, a chemist can scan one spectrum, print or plot a second, manipulate data of a third, and format a disk simultaneously. A 2-cm"1 model contains enough memory for simultaneous printing and plotting. A 5y4-inch floppy disk drive that formats disks and handles files compatibly with an IBM PC microcomputer is available as an option. A 32-bit Motorola 68010 microprocessor does FT "on the fly." The memory holds most commonly used parameter settings and up to seven programable analysis sequences. These sequences are called up by
seven "soft" keys. A battery pack keeps all these data in memory when the machine is turned off. Interactive graphics programs let chemists display three spectra at once, zoom in on or pan spectra, expand ordinates and abscissas, and rescale and change ranges of displays. Graphics appear on a builtin, 9-inch monitor. One Centronics and two RS-232C ports allow connections to an IBM PC, a disk drive, and a printerplotter. Other equipment available include a diffuse reflectance accessory for powders, a 5X beam condenser for nanogram samples, a fixed-angle specular reflectance accessory for films, a variable-angle specular reflectance accessory for film thicknesses and optical constants, a multiple internal reflectance accessory for opaque samples, and a sample shuttle to move samples in and out of the single beam to provide effective double-beam capability. The optics and beam path are sealed in a chamber with a dessicant. This means that chemists can turn the machine on and scan spectra at once without having to purge moisture and carbon dioxide from the sample chamber with dry gas. A diagnostics program sets up a test display that chemists can use to verify that all functions are working. The detector supplied as standard is lithium tantalate. Stephen Stinson, New York
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October 12, 1987 C&EN
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